The present invention relates to a medical fluid injection system for injecting a medical fluid into a vein through the use of an injection pump.
The present invention relates, more particularly, to a detection device for detecting a blocking condition in a flexible conduit connected to an injection pump in a medical fluid injection system.
A medical fluid injection system must ensure high safety because the medical fluid injection system is applied to the human body. A flexible conduit such as a vinyl tube is usually employed in the medical fluid injection system for supplying the medical fluid derived from an injection pump. It is strictly required that an undesirable blocking condition of the flexible conduit be accurately detected.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to enhance the safety of a medical fluid injection system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel detection system for detecting an undesirable blocking condition in a flexible conduit in a medical fluid injection system.
Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
To achieve the above objects, pursuant to an embodiment of the present invention, a portion of a flexible conduit is held by a conduit supporting member so that the section of the flexible conduit substantially shows an ellipse configuration or a rectangular configuration. A rod is slidably disposed in the conduit supporting member so that one end of the rod contacts the peripheral surface of the flexible conduit. When an undesirable blocking condition occurs in the flexible conduit, the flexible conduit is expanded to shift the rod. The shift movement of the rod is detected by a detection system to interrupt the supply of the medical fluid.